What is 
Matter?
Matter is a universal, open-source standard designed to improve compatibility and interoperability between smart home devices across various ecosystems, including Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings. Launched in late 2021 by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Matter aims to unify the fragmented smart home landscape by allowing devices from different manufacturers to communicate seamlessly. It’s built to make smart home setups easier, more secure, and more reliable.
How Does Matter Work?
At its core, Matter uses IP-based communication, which means devices can talk to each other over the internet. However, Matter isn’t tied to a single protocol. It can run over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Thread, a low-power wireless mesh network designed for IoT devices, similar to Zigbee and Z-Wave. While the Matter specification includes Bluetooth as well, it is primarily used for onboarding devices to Matter with your smartphone. In summary:
- Wi-Fi: Provides high bandwidth for real-time communication (ideal for cameras and media devices).
- Ethernet: A wired option for stable communication, useful in homes with existing infrastructure.
- Thread: A low-power mesh networking protocol, ideal for battery-operated devices.
- Bluetooth: Primarily used for setting up and provisioning devices.
For example, a Matter-certified thermostat can communicate with a Matter-certified door lock, regardless of whether they were developed by different companies. The devices can talk to each other without requiring multiple proprietary hubs or bridging apps.
Matter leverages IPv6 for addressing, making it future-proof for the expanding world of connected devices. On top of this, the Matter stack sits at the application layer, providing a unified framework for devices to operate smoothly across different networks. This approach ensures that smart devices, regardless of brand or network type, can work together, making it easier for users to build and expand their smart home systems.
Key Features of Matter
- Interoperability: Matter-certified devices from different brands can work together without compatibility issues. This ensures users can build their smart homes with devices from various manufacturers, all communicating seamlessly.
- Simplicity: Matter was created with the goal of simplifying device pairing and usage. With Matter, adding a new device to your smart home should take just a few steps, much like connecting Bluetooth devices.
- Security: Matter integrates robust security features, including encryption and device authentication. Each device gets a unique certificate, ensuring only verified devices can join your network.
- Reliability: By relying on Thread’s mesh network, Matter devices don’t depend on a single central hub. This decentralized approach improves the reliability of communication, even if some devices temporarily lose internet connection.
Why Matter Is Important for Smart Homes
Besides the obvious benefits of unifying smart devices under one umbrella, there are some other tangible benefits for smart homes using Matter-enabled devices:
- No More Ecosystem Lock-in: With Matter, users no longer need to worry about whether their new smart light will work with their existing smart home system. The days of being locked into one ecosystem, like Alexa or Apple HomeKit, are ending.
- Faster Smart Home Growth: Developers now have a unified platform to build devices on, which will likely spur innovation. Instead of creating multiple versions of a product for different ecosystems, manufacturers can focus on making one Matter-compliant product.
- Lower Costs: Fewer proprietary hubs and bridges mean that users won’t need to buy extra hardware to make their devices compatible. For instance, if you have a Matter-certified hub, like an Amazon Echo or Google Nest Hub, it’ll act as a central point for all your Matter devices.
What Devices Support Matter?
Many manufacturers are integrating Matter into their new and existing devices. This is what this website is precisely about: help users find, evaluate and choose Matter-enabled devices for their smart home. Some examples include:
- Smart Thermostats like the Tado Smart Thermostat
- Smart Lights from Nanoleaf
- Smart Plugs and Outlets like those from Meross
- Door Locks from companies like Nuki
- Smart Window Coverings such as Zemismart Blind Motors
Some voice assistant devices, such as certain Google Nest and Amazon Echo models, have also been updated to support Matter.
How to Get Started with Matter
To start building your Matter-enabled smart home, you’ll need a Matter hub (which could be a device like a Google Nest Hub or Apple HomePod Mini). You can then add any Matter-compliant devices to the network, regardless of brand, using any major smart home app, like Alexa, Google Home, or SmartThings.
A Unified Future for Smart Homes
Matter is the game-changer the smart home industry has been waiting for. It removes the barriers of compatibility, security concerns, and complex setups, making smart homes more accessible and manageable for users. Whether you’re just starting out with smart devices or already have an advanced setup, Matter will unify your devices, making them more reliable and easier to manage.
